Latch protecting means for the latch needles in flat pearl machines



J@ i, 3 H DIEM LATGH'PEOTECTING MEANS EOEITHE LATCH NEEDLEs 1N ELAT `PEAEL MACHINES original Filed March 17, 1934 Patented .lune 9, 1936 Imi*ENT oir-Fier.

LATCH PROTECTING lMEANS FOR LATCH NEEDLES IN FLAT PEARL MA- CHINE S VHans Diem, Neuchatel', Switzerland, assignor to.

the firm Edouard Dubied & Cie. S. A., Neuchatel, Switzerland original application Maren 17, 1934, serial No.

Divided and this application December 17, 1934, Serial No. 757,824. In Germany July 25, 1933 2 Claims. (Cl. 66-63) lThis application is a division of. my application` for United States patent, filed March 17th, 1934, Serial No. 716,021, and has for its object a device for protecting the latches of the latch needles in 5 flat pearl machines by means of resilient members or brushes.

In the ilat pearl machines, during the operation of which certain needles remain inoperative, that is, assume a position of rest in the respective needle bed guideways during any desired number of traverses of the cam slide in dependency on the knitted pattern to be produced, the throwing over of the loops last formed frequently results in an undesired jumping movement of the correspending needle latches to the effect that the latter are neither closed nor completely opened, so that these latches must be closed prior to the passage of the needles concerned underneath the xed needle jack check rail by action of this rail or by a latch closing blade especially provided for this purpose. In this way the needle latches as well as the needle latch closing blades are Worn at certain parts or even damaged. This fact is detrimental to the run of machines with a high speed traversing movement of the needle cam slide particularly during the production of tubular goods or the like.

According to the present invention, these drawbacks are eliminated in the protecting device for the needle latches of the needles of flat pearl machines by arranging in substitution for the usual latch closing blades on the cam slide on both sides of each needle cam box a resilient member at each side of the needle bed behind the knocking over edge of the needle beds above the latches of the needles occupying their operative positions, which resilient member closes any needle latches that may still be open and which maintains the closed latches depressed.

Admittedly, it is already known to provide needle latch closing means in fixed position for the needle latches to ride against during the return movement ofthe respective needles. It is also known to use for opening the latches of needles brushes which are provided with laterally oitstanding tufts for cleaning the opened needle latches and the eld of action of the needles. Such arrangements are, however, neither adapt- 50 ed for closing needle latches that may have remained still open or maintain the closed latches depressed, in such manner, that the needle latches are safeguarded against damaging, nor were these arrangements originally intended for 55 this oice, as provided according to this invention.

In the accompanying drawing a co-nstructional form of the invention is illustrated, in which Fig. 1 shows a partial top plan view of a known flat knitting machine to which the needle latch protecting device according to the invention is applied, and

Fig. 2 shows a section on the line II-II in Fig. 1.

In these figures, it will be seen that above the needle bed portions B1 and B2 provided with inlo ner edges about which the meshes are knocked over needle latch opener brushes 4 and 4 of a known type are secured to the needle cam boxes S and S' of the needle cam box slide C, in a, known manner. The numeral 5 refers to needle jack 15 check rails. Above the needles the needle cam box S composed of the cam portions 3 and 3 is arranged. At each side of the double needle bed on the cam slide on both sides of the respective needle cam box above the needles l, which are 20 moved into operative position by means of the correlated needle jacks 2, and immediately at the sides of the latch opener brushes 4 and 4 behind the respective knocking over edge for the meshes, resilient members or brushes 6 Yand 6 provided 25 with bristles are arranged which members serve for maintaining the needle latches closed. 'I'he thus formed tufts of bristles 6, 6 are of a cross section that may resemble the form of a narrow rectangle disposed parallel to the longitudinal 30 plane of the machine, the bristles being inclined to the needles at about the same angle as the needle latch openers 4, 4.

The operation of this protecting device is the following: 35

When the needle cam box slide is traversed across the needle bed in the direction of the arrow Q (Fig. 1) and thus from left to right, the needles I assuming their working positions are advanced in the respective guideways vof the needle beds, 40 for producing hosiery, by action of the needle cam box portions 3, and the latches of the needles I are opened by the leading latch opener brushes 4 whereby the needles with their latches in opened position are passed under the jack check rails 5 without, however, previously contacting with these rails. Thereupon the needles are retracted in the respective guideways of the needle bed by action of the cam portions 3 and the loops put on other needles, so that the needle latches are closed.

Owing to the presence of the resilient members 6 and 6', it is feasible to move any needles with their latches in closed condition, i. e. needles that are in inoperative position, during the next folpresent Within the range of sinking the loops are Y maintained closed by the resilient needle protecting members 6 and 6.

I do not limit myself to the particular size, shape, number or arrangement of parts as shown and described, all of Whichrinay be varied Without going beyond the scope of my invention as shown,

described and claimed.

I claim:

1. In a safety device for latch needles in flat pearl machines, the combination with a double needle bed having inner edges for knocking over the meshes thereabout, latch needles slidably arranged in said needle bed and a needle cam box' slide adapted to traverse said needle bed, of a resilient latch closer member arranged on said cam box slide at both ends of the needle cam boxes thereof adjacent the respective edge so as 'to close any latches or maintain depressed the closed latches of those needles which retain their loops without knitting during the formation of a COUI'SB.

2. In a safety device for latch needles in flat pearl machines, the combination with a double needle bed having inner edges for knocking over the meshes thereabout, latch needles slidably ar ranged in said needle bed and a needle cam box slide adapted to traverse said needle bed, of

Flexible latch closer bristles arranged on said cam box slide at both ends of the needle cam boxes thereof adjacent the respective edge so as to close any latches or maintain depressed the closed latches of those needles which retain their loops 20 Without knitting during the formation of a course.

HANS DIEM. 

